Exciting stuff for a coffee guy

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Posted by Doug L., coffee quality manager

This is my favorite time of year in the Starbucks Coffee tasting room. This is when we’re at our busiest, cupping anywhere from 60 to 100 different shipments of coffee every day. That means 360 to 600 cups!

Why so many cups of coffee? It’s the heart of the shipping season for coffees from Central America – and so far this year has been awesome.

The coffees from Costa Rica and Guatemala have been stellar. Their bright acidity and clean finish are especially on display this crop year. And I’m not just talking about the single-origin Guatemala Antigua or Costa Rica Bella Vista coffees you may know from our lineup.

No, I also mean the coffees we use in blends like House Blend and Café Estima. Last week in particular, we got some coffee from Guatemala that stood out on our cupping table – we were blown away by its juiciness and cocoa finish. These beans will add complexity and depth to House Blend.

Another high note was some shipments of Fair Trade Certified™ Costa Rican coffees that will find their way into our Café Estima. They showed particularly tangy acidity and good flavor complexity – truly exciting stuff! If you’re a coffee guy like me, that is.